National Republican., 1887-11-25

The weather was dull and cloudy with
iust enough rainfall to make It thoroughly
dlsagreeable yesterday morning, but It was,
nevertheless, Thanksgiving day. In spite
OF the mugginess of the atmosphere a large
number Of people left comfortable 6resides
in order that they might obey the procla-
nation which called upon all loyal citizens
to "assemblo at their respective places Of
worship ana return thanks to Almighty God
for the blessings OF the year."
OUR COUNTRY, SACRED TRUST.
The announcement that Rev. DIR. IL. X.
Nailor, pastor Of the Hamline NJ. L. Church,
would preach yesterday morning on "Our
Country, Sacred Trust" had the effect
TO I'LL the church to hear this able divine
with congregation, among whom was
noticed some OF our most prominent clti-
zens. The minister selected for his text
Matt. xxii, 90: "Whose image is and su-
prescription is this" and said that ma
TONS day for fast or feast, prayer or praise,
ought by all to be considered an appoint
ment OF great Importance. 1t Is cry OF
"halt' TO more than fifty million people
rushing along life's journey. A great
author is writing, and q great artist Is
painting history, and we are invited to
calmly look upon It's pages aud Its scenery.
n great anu DenenCenJ tTehlOT plACeb ue-
fore us his mercies, and we are called upon
to consider them.
The glory Of Rome was her martial grSn-
deur, the greatness OF Greece was her pa
trotism, the palladium Of Britain her con-
sttutIon, but the glory. of America is her
citizenship. No ruler Of Rome In her palm
lest days governed such domain as does
the first citizen Of this land. Narrow and
limited was the patriotism Of Greece com
pared with ours. American pride Is not the
pride OF power, but that broader, nobler,
purer pride-the pride Of opportunity and
obligation. The manufacturing OF money
is the prerogative Of governments. Mon
arches impress upon their coins their coat
of arms or the countenance Of reiguing
kings and queens. The American eagle
upon one side has the form of that bird and
upon the other the emblem Of liberty.
Having no earthly king we impress meta
phorically the truest liberty and citizenship
upon our coins-the noblest of birds, ex-
pressive Of nobility aud freedom.
l acknowledge my indebtedness to DR..
Strong for his compend Of statistics bene-
fleently given to the world in his work on
sour country and It's possible future" He
Gays the United States west Of the Hudson
river would contain more than the great
powers Of Great Britain, Ireland, France,
Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, switzer-
land, Denmark, and Greece. This domain
contains 2,970,000 square miles OF land.
Arabic land enough 10 feed 100000, 600
persons, and leave an excess Of 5, 100000
1,0l2 900 persons. One half Of the
gold ofthe world is found here. Our mines
OF wealth are inexhaustible. A lam Smith
predicts the transfer Of the European en-
pires to America, and defends the thought
by saying;
The eastern nations sink, their glory ends,
And empire rises where the sun descends
The heir of all the ages,
In the foremost files thine.
Great political, social, and religious prob
lens are being solved, and the grandest
characteristics OF energy, courage, and per-
Manhood, ply sical, mental, moral, kingly
manhood ending the grandest country the
Creator ever made. Surely Gods country
should contain q godly people. Such o
trust demands intelligent belief In equal
human rights. Ever since this great truth
met with secret or public revilings and CEN
sure. Aristocracy OF blood has been, and
still is, the boast OF many lands. For CEN
turies this has been the basis Of government
in Asia and Europe. Very early In the
history OF this land caste was established
here; and when it was proclaimed that IAN
men are created equal, I" 1t was departure
such as the world has never before looked
upon. This newly. born giant declared war
against all gradations Of natural or innate
superiority. This was the tocsin OF war and
struggle for which God had
ssen ssenDp preserving ssls es Ss ggsas muaS6oS Ss
was to demand his rights. Nor did men
who gave this motto to the world the ap-
preciate Its fullness. 1t was a truth of di.
vine origin. Nearly ten decades passed
before the nation comprehended its full
meaning. Again this sacred trust demands
the highest regard for the majesty OF civil
law. Law is mans best friend; terror
only to evil doers. The first lessons In 10y
atty to law are learned OF home. The sa-
cred regard for law Is not always based
upon the righteousness of the law. All
laws are not agreeable; but all laws are sa-
fled ss equity ii loyalty the depfaSed aS wHsS
demands our obedience, then would
that obedience depend upon mems diver.
sihed tastes, judgments, and opinions.
While the statutes remain unrepealed, loyal
citizens must revere them. high regard
for law begets high esteem for the rights
and the rights of others would do away
with base limitations and cheap adultera-
tions Of the real and pure.
No nation so much lacks reverence and
respect for its law makers and executors as
ours. Our national historic spots receive
but little yeneration from US. They are too
near in point Of time. After awhile the
generations will be farther away, then there
will be more reverence for them. Again,
this sacred trust should be held by citizens
Of highest intelligence. That the maxim
Of intelligence Is "nation's bulwarkn has
become more than trite by continuous quo
tations cannot be doubted. If any class OF
citizens should be intelligent 1t is those who
belong to republics.
Great responsibility and privilege demand
a broad information. An American citizen
should know something of other nations
their history. people, and government; the
causes OF their rise and decline. or Greece
the mother Of philosophy, where liberty
was born, where oratory was fret studied
of Rome, whose Caesars shaped the govern
ments Of all nations; Of France, with hei
eventful history, her military and socia
experience; Of Britain, coming up out Of
her barbarlsm, her Vassalage to Roman
power, her training by the Saxon hierarchy
her growth in civilization. And the
American citizen should know his owr
native land; its area, resources, geography
its history. A country peerless In all these
respects. sisterhood OF states and terri
tories beyond the conception of mos
prophetic minds, In diversity of tastes, and
oneness Of patriotic affection. The philos'
ophy OF our government, national, state
municipal, the relations each sustans tc
the other We need reform in our system
of education. There is too much top dress
ing We have too much miseducatlon
This system is emptylng our workshops o
American sons and giving America's acres
to the sons of foreign countries. Two
things are especially noted in our popular
school education.
1t usually leads to nointerest in literature
or acquaintance with 1t, nor to any sense o.
the value Of history for modern men; q
very serious defect, And its most charac
teristlc and general result is dIstaste FOL
manual labor All this has resulted In {
false view OF the world as a place where
only eTeminate and inirm people need
work, or engage In toilsome and unat
tractiye employments. Our general system
of education appeals to the lowest passion
selisbness; seldom duty, obligation, adapt
edness. John Randolph said: "a politician